The sun was already setting, but it was the wings of the great green dragon that darkened the courtyard of Artemia Castle once more. It passed through the ballistae on the walls without being seen. Frey set aside his assumptions and assumed his role. Runa infused him with magic, allowing him to summon his greatsword. As a human, magic remained a mystery to him, but unfortunately for the dragons, he was never truly alone. The sword was formidable, as tall as the knight himself, made of dark veined steel. Mithril might be stronger, but it couldn’t be enchanted, and the sword’s enchantment allowed it to pierce even the toughest scales.

Kings Alistor and Bestolf also prepared for battle. The elven king conjured a silver scepter with an enormous ruby, while the other discarded his cloak, revealing the massive war axe he always kept hidden. His muscular form belied his appearance. Of all those present, only Queen Eyren lacked combat experience. Runaesthera and her father created flashes in the sky using magic, signals for the soldiers in the castle’s battlements to prepare crossbows, archers, and elven mages launching projectiles at the dragon to distract it from civilians and keep it close.

Then, Eri ran to her father, hiding behind his legs, and asked, “Daddy, what is that? I’m scared.” Everyone felt the same pang in their hearts. Eri didn’t know what a dragon was, even though she knew she was one because everyone told her.

Before Freydelhart could gather the courage to respond, the beast in the sky roared, knocking down many fighters and instilling terror in others. Eri, releasing her father, stepped forward and roared even louder. Her voice was both agonizing and threatening, conveying rage in a language only she understood. They exchanged a few more roars until Frey saw tears in his daughter’s eyes and decided it was enough.

He ran toward the dragon, signaling his fiancée, who conjured increasingly tall ice towers. Frey leaped from one to another to reach the dragon, but it pushed him away with a wing, causing him to fall. The king levitated him just in time to avoid hitting the ground. Queen Eyren hurriedly took Eri, her husband acting as a shield between her and the dragon as she ran with the girl in his arms. The queen, though older, drew strength from her valor and managed to get to safety.

Frey didn’t waste time; he knew he had to bring the dragon down. The crossbows had prevented it from flying higher, but it wouldn’t last. The dragon was large enough that even scorpion arrows barely bothered it. The king summoned storm clouds, and Runa directed a lightning bolt toward the creature’s wings. Magic couldn’t kill dragons, but the forces it unleashed could harm them. In this case, it paralyzed the dragon enough to bring it down. The green dragon crashed, toppling one of the watchtowers under its weight.

Freydelhart assumed his unicorn stance, running with the sword held straight at shoulder height, despite the steps and jumps he took. The green dragon raised its head and exhaled bluish-white flames at the knight. Frey seemed to vanish and reappear to the side, dodging the blast and closing the distance. The dragon tried to take flight and regain the upper hand, but debris from the tower hindered its wingbeats. The brief moment it took to recover allowed Freydelhart to sever one of its wings. The knight had leaped onto the dragon and attacked its wing with swift, shallow cuts. A dragon’s blood ignited upon spilling, fueling its rage. The beast roared in pain, and the force of its cry knocked down nearby walls.

It was followed by a desperate, blind blaze, but Frey was fast, efficient, and had Runa protecting him with powerful magical shields. Frey inflicted quick, shallow cuts on the giant creature, hoping it would remain enraged and focused on him. King Bestolf’s axe plunged into the dragon’s belly, releasing a stream of blood and fire. Frey had been wearing it down, exhausting its fire, and distracting it to give the king an opportunity. The axe wound wouldn’t kill it, but it would create an escape route for the dragon’s flames when it died, reducing the explosion.

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Freydelhart assumed the griffon stance and, with a wide swing, finally beheaded the dragon. As the head fell, everyone sought cover while mages conjured shields to protect as many people as possible. The body eventually exploded, severely damaging the courtyard and reducing itself to ashes. All before Eri’s eyes.

‘Daddy… Was that a dragon? Am I… like that?’

Queen Eyren held her in her arms. The girl gazed at the dying flames of the courtyard and the toppled towers, touching her horns with her delicate little hands.

‘Eri,’ Frey still looked terrifying, sword in hand and covered in blood and ash, ‘you’re not like that.’

‘But… he told me… that I was bad, that he would kill me because I should be with him, but he used very ugly words, ones only I can understand, and that I was a monster. Is it true, Daddy? Am I a monster like him?’ Her eyes filled with tears. ‘Are you going to kill me like him?’

Runaesthera wanted to speak, but she looked at Eri. She knew Eri needed to hear it from him. Painful as it was, that was their unique relationship.

‘My child, Eri, that’s who you are, above all else. You’re our beloved daughter, and I swear I won’t harm you or allow anyone else to harm you as long as I live.’ He pulled his fiancée close. ‘Just as I promised your mom. So if you’ll allow us, we want to give you a name.’

‘I already have a name,’ she roared again, reminiscent of that day on the throne in Meyrin. ‘But I like how Eri sounds better.’

‘If you want, Eri can be your true name. Maybe then you’ll understand that you’re our daughter now.’ Runa embraced Frey, watching their daughter endure so much suffering and confusion.

‘Will my name be long and silly like yours?’

‘A name in this realm has several parts: a pure, personal name; one in honor of your ancestors; and a title,’ Frey explained.

‘My mother was called Estheramina. Runa is my pure name, and Esthera is from my mother. Verrin der Artemia means Princess of Artemia in Elvish.’

‘Can I choose? Eridaddymommy... no, that sounds silly…’ She seemed calmer now. Everyone smiled at her affectionate outburst, which, in King Alistor’s words, made for a very irritating family.

A few weeks later, the entire realm of Artemia gathered in the capital for the millennium event. It began in the Cathedral of Peace and continued throughout the city. Lords, merchants, and tavern owners all hosted celebrations on the day the princess would wed the hero. The ceremony was grand; they even convinced Freydelhart to wear a custom-made suit instead of his uniform. Runa wore a dress that had kept all the capital’s seamstresses, tailors, and designers busy for years.

The train wasn’t just adorned with flowers; it was practically a garden. Afterward, young men would give the flowers to maidens as invitations to the many dances held throughout the city. The dress itself was a fitted white gown, reminiscent of the one Runa wore at their first ball when they met.

The bride and groom exchanged gifts. Runa gave Frey a beautiful crystal goblet, which she playfully dropped to show it was enchanted and wouldn’t break. Only they understood the significance. Frey presented her with an intricately designed bracelet with Elvish motifs. Neither gift was expensive or impressive; it was tradition for the couple to exchange gifts made by themselves.

And in the end, the priestess of the goddess of peace declared them united in her name, tying two pieces of rudimentary hemp rope. Their kiss sealed the contract."

Eri attended her parents’ wedding, of course, but that afternoon was her turn. Her appointment was just as crowded, if not more so, than the wedding—perhaps due to the doubts that many were beginning to harbor about her. She received beautiful gifts as well: her father’s golden-veined dagger and a lovely crown from her mother. The kings of Meyrin, along with King Alistor, bestowed upon her an emerald pendant. When she put it on, her horns, wings, and fangs disappeared—not invisibly, but the enchantment allowed her to take on true human form while wearing the pendant. It wasn’t powerful enough to conceal her immense strength or the fire within her. Eri accepted all her gifts with the affection that characterized her, although it soon became evident which one was her favorite.

The same priestess blessed Eri with the name her parents had given her: Erifreya Verrin Draconis.